


Drastic messes require drastic measures

by Antigravitykitty



Category: HiGH&LOW (Movies), HiGH&LOW: the Story of S.W.O.R.D. (TV)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Kinda, M/M, Murayama is a mess, Other, Slice of Life, everybody knows that they are friends but they're too cool to admit it, hyuga to the rescue, murayama and cobra don't get their shit together, not a lot of violence though, people drink and people smoke, practically none, so is cobra, somewhere between canon Hyuga and fluffy Hyuga, they lead weird lifes, this is h&l
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-21 22:07:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14923709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antigravitykitty/pseuds/Antigravitykitty
Summary: Murayama comes to Daruma Ikka with a request.Hyuga helps for reasons only he knows.





	Drastic messes require drastic measures

**Author's Note:**

> Just some fluff, at least by h&l standards. 
> 
> Thanks Leo_Nim for the title (also, check out their fics, especially Survival Is In Your Veins , its really good!)

A hot and humid night, the sound of the crickets drowned out by screaming and laughter, the light of the moon overshadowed by bright neon lights. Daruma Ikkas Casino was packed, the smell of wood and Sake mixed with the stink of sweat and blood from the fighting pits, men and women staggering through the narrow hallways, careful to not upset the owners of this place, then while the casino might be a place for debauchery and ecstasy, Daruma Ikka oversaw this eternal celebration off all things loud and crass and they loved to spill blood when the opportunity arose. Hyuga paced around the edges of his room, one round after another, his fingers brushing against the laquered commode, the door, the big built- in wardrobe. His place still looked like the inner sanctuary of a temple, and in a sense it was. It was his sanctuary, his temple and here the members of Daruma Ikka came to greet him before they retreated to gamble or drink. This was where he drank and smoked with Kato and Shu, they filled his glass, lit his pipe and exchanged stories. But today, he had another visitor, and when he left, Hyuga for once did not feel at peace in his sanctuary.

* * *

 

 **Earlier:** Murayama hit the baseball as hard as he could and the sound of leather hitting his wooden bat did not satisfy him. Nothing did satisfy him today. He fought against Todoroki and won. He fought two new members of Ohya High and won. None of this took the edge of his restlessness. He left school and came to the batting cage and hit the ball over and over again. He ran out of money and threatened the clerk at the place until he would let him bat for as long as he wanted. And so Murayama hit ball after ball while the sky turned from a muggy, dirty blue to a deep indigo and still he was not satisfied. He was angry now, the frustration growing in his body until he felt like a spring, ready to snap. But there was noone around he could snap at, noone to withstand his frustration and anger. He left the batting cage and ran, hoping for someone for someone to stop him, hoping for someone worth challenging. He ran and thought about his options and at one point, his step became unsure, hesitant. Then he turned around and started sprinting towards the glittering neon lights of the casino. Hyuga awoke. He had slept on the platform in his room, his jacket draped over him, the table where he drank and accepted offerings from patrons and new members in front of him. The sounds and smells from the casino hadn’t changed but something was different, and Hyuga sat up, waiting if this situation would be something that he would have to take care of himself. A knock on the door and Shu and Kato came in, escorting the Leader of Ohya High. This was not a planned visit, and Murayama was reckless to wander into the casino like this. Hyuga approved of that. He nodded to Kato and Shu to leave them alone and they retreated, leaving Murayama in front of his platform.

“I will fight you!”

Murayama seemed eager, every muscle in his lithe body tense, his fists already balling, his shoulders slumping down, getting ready to jump.

“Ah?”

“I will fight you! Get up or I’ll take you down!”

Hyuga could feel the blood rushing through his head, but only for a moment. Murayamas face was too pale, his expression too haunted. He was not worth fighting, he would break after a short outburst of violence and Hyuga was not entirely sure if Murayama was aware.

“You don’t need to fight, you need to drink. Sit.”

“No! I’m here to fight you!”

Hyuga ignored him and took two cups and a small bottle of sake from the laquered cupboard on one side on the room and sat back down on the table.

“Stop bitching. First we drink then we fight”

Maybe a bit of alcohol would restore Murayama enough to be a worthwile opponent. A sigh from Murayama. A good sign, Murayama without his aura of annoyance was an unnerving sight. But he sat down at the opposite side of the table and poured a drink. Hyuga raised an eyebrow and poured one for himself. They emptied their drinks and refilled their glasses. Hyuga almost smiled at Murayamas clenched jaw when he tried to keep the Sake down. Another round for both of them. Hyuga produced a pack of cigarettes and offered one to Murayama.

“No pipe?”

“Not today. Just tobacco. For old times.”

“Yeah. Things have changed since then.”

“Go figure.”

“Whatever”

“Why are you here?”

“To fight you.”

“Don’t act stupid with me! Why are you here?”

“I dont know”

A grunt from Hyuga.This was how it always went. Murayama never knew why he came to see him.

“I will fight someone tonight.”

“Why not one of the others. Go catch yourself a Rudeboy and beat him up”

“They’re like fucking squirrels, I’m not going to climb around their hellhole!”

“White Rascals then. Grope one of their chicks and take it out with Rocky”

“The fuck you think I am. Im not groping anyone.”

This time Hyuga poured two drinks. Murayama didn’t notice.

“I see. So Sannoh. Why are you not taking one of them on?”

“Fuck Sannoh! They can all go to hell!”

A raised eyebrow from Hyuga

“Did Cobra-Chan refuse to play with you?”

“Don’t call him that! You have no right.”

“Neither do you”

“Fuck you”

“Ah.”

Another round. Hyuga and Murayama had known each other for a long time, and of course they weren’t friends but Murayama occasionally came by. At first when Hyuga was at Ohya High himself and Murayama was a kid who liked to fight. Later, Hyuga was in prison and Murayama was there to visit some friends and occasionally left a pack of cigarettes for him. Then afterwards he dropped by the old temple every now and again. And now he sometimes sauntered through the casino and most of Daruma Ikka looked the other way.

“So. What happened?”

“ I asked to be a part of Sannoh”

“Ah?? You out of four fucking mind”

“It was a joke. Obviously.”

“Obviously.”

“He said no.”

“What a big fucking surprise.”

“Whatever.”

Another round. Murayamas face started to turn red and his elbow was resting heavy on the table, steadying him. There would be no fight tonight.

“Why don’t you meet him like you meet me. None of his clowns need to know.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“No. What’s your problem?”

“He has people around. He basically told me to fuck off already.”

Hyuga watched Murayama while he drank. His slouched shoulders, his hair hanging messily in his pale face, his eyes bloodshot. And Hyuga made a decision.

“I will set up a meeting. You and him. Off the records. Go and eat something or pet some cats. Whatever”

“Why would i pet cats?”

“Because people like cats you moron. Makes them smile.”

“I don’t need help from you.”

“Then fuck off and talk to him yourself. Act like a leader for fucks sake.”

“Fine. Whatever. You talk to him.”

“Yeah. If you come here tomorrow I'll have news. Come in the morning, whennnobody is going to be here. i don’t need people to see you here again so soon.”

“ That’s gonna be difficult, I'll have to be in class at that time.”

And then they both laughed and had another drink. And after he left, Hyuga started pacing around his room, wondering when his life went off the rails like this.

* * *

 

Cobra staggered home from Odake, his mind comfortably cloudy and at ease. He made his way through the narrow alleyways, carefully avoiding piles of trash waiting to be picked up tomorrow morning when he heard a noise. He froze. It came from the darkness next to him and for a second he thought he saw a man standing in the shadows, observing him. He quickly turned his head towards the noise, only to see a group of kittens emerge from one of the trash piles, obviously digging for food. He looked at them until he could see their mother in the background, watching over them, not in the least disturbed by his presence.

Cobra walked on, and on the next street he walked into a convenience store and came out with a couple yakitori and a can of beer, a very late night snack. And then he stopped. It was as if he could feel a presence behind him, something urgent. Something was tugging in the back of his mind. This food was not for him. And so he turned around and walked back until he found the pile of trash again. “Hey, dumpsterkitties. I have chicken. “ The kittens froze in place, staring at him, ready to disappear in a heartbeat. Cobra opened the paper bag and took out a yakitori. And then he started to pull the chicken cubes off the stick, carefully placing them on a plastic trash bag. When he was done he took a couple steps back and opened his beer, drinking it while he watched the kittens devouring their food.

When he made it to the run down apartment building where he had a room, he froze. There was Hyuga, sitting on the stairs leading up to his place, not moving, waiting, to his feet a can of beer, and in a moment of shock and total clarity, Cobra could see the little drops of condensation on the outside of the can. Cobra could feel himself tense up. He was in no condition to have a fight with Hyuga, even when he was sober he was an intimidating opponent. Hyuga would kill him, he would die here, on the concrete stairs under the flickering light of the streetlamps, his broken eyes staring at the sky until the street cleaners would find his body and call the police, annoyed by the disturbance in their routine. But he wouldn’t die without a fight, he would go down swinging, he…

“Oy Cobra.”

“I’m ready.”

“What?”

“You want to fight.”

“It’s 4 in the fucking morning, if i wanted to fight you i would have come to the bar or to your pathetic hideout hours ago.”

“Oh. Yeah. I guess so.”

Did Cobra just hear a sigh? Hyuga seemed annoyed, but there was nothing of the fury he saw in his eyes when he first got released from prison.

“I need to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“Murayama.”

“What?”

“Did i fucking stutter?”

“No. I don’t think so.”

A raised eyebrow. Hyuga was definitely annoyed. This was not good.

“So what about Murayama?”

“He wanted to join Sannoh and you rejected him.”

“So? He is the leader of a rival Gang. Sooner or later he would get bored and challenge me and we all know it. Do you want me to let him in?”

“I dont give a fuck if you let him in or not. But i want you to meet with him. Privately. No gangs.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I'm asking you to.”

“ I can’t meet with Murayama.”

“Why not?”

And Cobra didn’t know what to say. He was afraid that the moment he would open his mouth, the truth would spill out. About Murayama, his eyes, his movements, his wide grin, how he didn’t mind to be called Cobra-Chan, that he didn’t want to meet Murayama because it would be glaringly obvious to everyone with eyes to see that he he wanted to be around him. And so Cobra said nothing, just stared at Hyuga.

“None of your business.”

“Listen, Cobra. You will meet with Murayama. Neutral territory. At the oceanside or something. Just you and him. You tell your gang some bullshit about taking a ride or needing solitude or whatever it is you people do. Murayama will do the same. You will contact him tomorrow to set a date not later than the end of this week.’

“I will do no such thing.”

And now Hyuga moved, all of his pent up anger released like a loaded spring and he had his hands around Cobras neck before he could react. Cobra could smell Sake in the other mans breath when he hissed.

“You will do exactly as I say or you will die before the week is over. And this time no one will save you, this won’t be between the remnants of Mugen and Daruma Ikka, this will be between you and me and I will kill you.”

“I understand”

Cobra felt the reluctance with which Hyuga released his throat, and for a moment he was sure that there would be a fight right here and now. But then the moment was gone and Hyuga stood a short distance away from him, staring at him with an unreadable expression.

“You will contact him.”

“I will contact him. Tomorrow. I will sleep now.”

“Good.”

And with that, Hyuga sauntered away, disappearing into the deep shadows just before dawn. Cobra entered his apartment, but found no sleep until the sky turned light.


End file.
